A Brief History of LISTE - The young art fair in Basel

Art Fair Burgweg 15 info@liste.ch T +41 61 692 20 21 

Basel CH-4058 Basel www.liste.ch F +41 61 692 20 18 

A Brief History of LISTE 

Basel, April 2013 

In the summer of 1995, the gallerists Eva Presenhuber and Peter Kilchmann contacted the 

exhibition organizer, Peter Bläuer, with a new idea – establishing a fair in Basel for up-and-coming 

young galleries and young art. Peter Bläuer was excited about the idea and immediately took on 

the twin roles of organization and management. The idea was supported by, among others, Jean- 

Christoph Ammann, Jacqueline Burckhardt, Bernhard Mendes Bürgi, Bice Curiger, Ulrich Look, 

Peter Pakesch and Theodora Vischer. 

A New Fair for a New Generation of Art 

The motivation for founding the fair arose from the realization that, at the end of the 80s, a new and 

self-assured generation of gallerists and artists was coming up that had little opportunity to secure 

a place at one of the established art fairs. Moreover, the prohibitive costs required for participation 

made it virtually impossible for many of those galleries to exhibit internationally. The new fair took 

on the task of introducing young galleries that were playing a role in the zeitgeist and represented 

important young artists of the 90s. LISTE did not see itself as an oppositional force or competitor, 

but rather as a complement to Art Basel and, as such, decided to hold its fair parallel to Art Basel. 

In order to guarantee the fair a high level of artistic quality, an international selection committee of 

gallerists was assembled, consisting of Emi Fontana (Milan), Maureen Paley (Interim Art, London), 

Anne de Villepoix (Paris), Tim Neuger (neugerriemschneider, Berlin), Peter Kilchmann (Zurich), Eva 

Presenhuber (formerly Galerie Walcheturm, Zurich) as well as the manager of the fair, Peter 

Bläuer (Basel). Over time, the committee replaced by a jury comprised primarily of international 

curators who do not appear by name. Regarding where to hold the fair, the ideal venue was found 

at the Werkraum Warteck, which provided for a new, flexible and individual presentation of art. 

The spatial concept for the presentation of the galleries was designed by the Viennese artist, 

Gerwald Rockenschaub. 

The Early Years 

LISTE 96 was a resounding success. In total, some 8,000 guests, many more than were expected, 

visited the fair and its 36 galleries from 12 countries. The new forum for young galleries active on 

the international scene attracted a great deal of attention from experts, art fans and the media. The 

gallery exhibition was supplemented with a video program as well as lectures by Nicolaus 

Schafhausen (Frankfurt), Springer Hefte für Gegenwartskunst (Vienna), Nicolas Trembley, bureau 

des videos (Paris), and the curator, Hans-Ulrich Obrist (Paris). In the following year, the criteria for 

selection were made more rigorous and those galleries accepted were primarily ones which had 

been in existence for less than 5 years and whose program of art had already attracted some 

degree of international attention. At the same time, the collaboration with the main sponsor, E. 

Gutzwiller & Cie, Banquiers, Basel, began. The number of participating countries climbed to 16 and 

tours were offered for the first time. 

An Established Name after just Three Years 

After only three years LISTE’s activities had created a distinctive and unique profile for the fair and 

it was able to claim the status of an established name alongside Art Basel. The performance artists 

at the opening reception for LISTE 99 attracted a record number of guests – 3,000 – approximately 

twice as many as had attended the preceding year. The program presented Nao Bustamante 

(USA), Helmut Lemke (UK/Germany), Heinrich Lüber (Switzerland), Event Made in Éric/Klone 

(France) and Christoph Rütimann (Switzerland). A 1999 highlight came courtesy of the special

show by the Migros Museum for Contemporary Art (Zurich), which ran a printing workshop entitled 

“what a mess”. The artists Ceal Floyer, Urs Fischer, Bob and Roberta Smith, Nic Hess and Lori 

Hersberger produced prints at the show and afterwards presented them as souvenirs to the 

visitors. 

Continuous Rejuvenation of Participants 

For LISTE 01, gallery turnover from the previous years was high due to LISTE’s careful and 

consistent implementation of its policy of allowing galleries to exhibit at the fair only three to four 

times. One result of this policy was that of the total of 43 exhibitors from 15 countries, 26 were 

making their LISTE debut. “plug in – kunst und neue medien” from Basel was invited as the guest 

for the special show that year. The special guest at LISTE 02 was CAN – Centre d’art Neuchâtel; 

the invitation was a symbolic reference to the Swiss national exhibition, Expo 02. The fair manager, 

Peter Bläuer, noted with pleasure: “Every young gallery is jostling to get into LISTE.” This success 

was attributable in no small way to the very strict and quality-oriented selection policy of the 

experts as well as the excellent reputation which the fair has come to enjoy. One-third of former 

LISTE-exhibitors were accepted by Art Basel, which was a clear indication of the fair’s quality. 

This was also evident in 2003, when half of the 47 exhibiting galleries were presenting artists who 

had also participated in the Biennale 2003 in Venice. 

Art Prize, Special Guests and the Performance-Project 

Since 2004 Nationale Suisse was awarded its highly coveted art prize. This award is open to 

graduates of Swiss art colleges who have majored in visual art and media’. This prize includes a 

monetary award of CHF 15,000 and a solo presentation at LISTE. 

Every year a Swiss or a Switzerland-related instituion organizes an exhibition at LISTE promoting 

emerging artists. Invited institutions to date include: Centre culturel suisse Paris, Swiss Institute 

New York, Museum Haus Konstrukiv. 

The daily program of the Peformance-Project has been offering visitors a glimpse into the current 

international performance art since 2005. 

The Established Galleries 

Over the last few years, a number of LISTE-galleries have been able to make the leap to 

Statements or Feature of Art Basel for one or two appearances, but have been unable to secure a 

regular, reserved space at the fair. LISTE has responded to this situation by adapting its 

admissions policy so that important former participants might have the opportunity to take part in 

LISTE once again. In this way, the most exciting newcomer galleries can maintain their 

international art audience in Basel. 

Nevertheless, LISTE always maintains its criteria of presenting and promoting primarily young 

artists under 40. In this way, galleries that are former participants and somewhat more established 

can present young and internationally lesser known art and artists. LISTE is thus able to remain a 

discoverer fair that, year after year, succeeds in attracting the most important collectors and 

museum people from around the world. 

Solid Values 

Alongside the constant change that defines the basis for LISTE’s success, there are also 

permanent elements characterizing the fair. Kaskadenkondensator has been a part of LISTE since 

the fair’s inception, as has the fair’s venue, the Werkraum Warteck, a workshop community led by 

artists and art historians that concentrates on performance and contemporary art. The Warteck as 

a building has come to be, so to speak, the face of LISTE. Less well-known is the fact that the 

approximately 40 permanent tenants have to move out for the week of the fair. That some of them 

work for the fair during that week is one of the typically untypical facts that lend LISTE its charm. 

At its heart, LISTE thrives on a certain tension arising from its identity: While it is a a fair offering 

non-established galleries and artists and enjoying the confidence and trust of private and 

institutional collectors, international art experts and friends of the arts, it is also a fair seeking to 

provide space for the new and experimental.

18 Years of LISTE – a Remarkable Succes Story 

LISTE – Art Fair Basel has been in existence now for 18 years! As an important international art fair for 

young positions, LISTE focuses on new discoveries and thus makes significant contributions to the 

promotion of young artists and young galleries within the international art market. The fair’s highly 

focused and targeted selection policy of selecting galleries with forward-looking positions by artists 

under 40 as well as its limitation of participation to several years give LISTE its unique meaning and 

dynamic. At the same time, this concept builds a bridge to Art Basel and provides many galleries with a 

springboard to the world’s most important art fair. Increasingly, galleries are being shown that hale 

from countries just now seeking entry into the art market, e.g., Eastern Europe or China. 

Seit 18 Jahren gibt es nun die LISTE - Art Fair Basel! Als bedeutende internationale Kunstmesse für 

junge Positionen setzt die LISTE den Schwerpunkt auf Neuentdeckungen und leistet damit einen 

wichtigen Beitrag zur Förderung junger Kunstschaffender und junger Galerien innerhalb des 

internationalen Kunstmarkts. Die gezielte Auswahlpolitik, Galerien mit zukunftsweisenden Positionen 

von Kunstschaffenden unter 40 Jahren auszuwählen, sowie eine Teilnahmebeschränkung auf einige 

Jahre geben der LISTE ihre einzigartige Bedeutung und Dynamik. Gleichzeitig bildet dieses Konzept die 

Brücke zur Art Basel und dient vielen Galerien als Sprungbrett für die wichtigste Kunstmesse der Welt. 

Es werden zunehmend Galerien, aus neu auf den Kunstmarkt drängenden Ländern, wie etwa aus 

Osteuropa oder aus China, gezeigt. 

New Dimenions of LISTE 18 

LISTE operates on the “cutting edge” and responds to developments in the world of galleries. Over the 

last several years, new galleries have increasingly begun representing older artists who are often “rediscoveries”. 

Thus, galleries are now free to apply with artists over 40. However, the fair’s focus 

remains on young artists and the vast majority of the artists being presented are under 40. 

LISTE has also shortened its name - from its original form: LISTE – The Young Art Fair in Basel to: LISTE 

– Art Fair Basel. Accompanying this name change is a new image. 

Galleries at LISTE (new admissions according to year) 

LISTE 96 

Air de Paris, Paris; Andreas Brändström, Stockholm; Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm; Arndt & 

Partner, Berlin; Barbara Weiss, Berlin; CRG, New York; Dan Bernier, Santa Monica; David Zwirner, 

New York; Eigen + Art, Berlin/Leipzig; Espacio Minimo, Murcia; Anne de Villepoix, Paris; 

Hammelehle + Ahrens, Stuttgart; Meile, Lucerne; Paul Andriesse, Amsterdam; Peter Kilchmann, 

Zurich; Sanguine, Paris; Walcheturm/Presenhuber, Zurich; Emi Fontana, Milan; Massimo de Carlo, 

Milan; Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen; Jack Hanley, San Francisco; Jack Tilton, New York; Karsten 

Schubert, London; Klosterfelde, Berlin; Laure Genillard, London; Maureen Paley Interim Art, 

London; Morris - Healy, New York; Neu, Berlin; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; Paolo Vitolo, Milan; 

Raum aktueller Kunst, Vienna; Ridinghouse Editions, London; Robert Prime, London; Stephen 

Friedman, London; Guenzani, Milan; Zeno X, Antwerp 

New at LISTE 97 

Ars Futura, Zurich; c/o-Atle Gerhardsen, Oslo; Cabinet, London; Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin; Ice Box, 

Athens; Casey Kaplan, New York; Tomio Kojama, Tokyo; Charlotte Lund, Stockholm; Emilio Navarro, 

Madrid; Francesca Pia, Berne; Météo, Paris; Mot & Van den Boogaard, Brussels; MXM, Prague; 

Praz-Delavallade, Paris; Slewe, Amsterdam; the agency, London; S.A.L.E.S, Rome; Fons Welters, 

Amsterdam; Anthony Wilkinson, London 


Aidan, Moscow; Bochynek, Düsseldorf; Paula Böttcher, Berlin; Contemporary Fine Arts, Berlin; 

Chez Valentin, Paris; de Expeditie, Amsterdam; Annette De Keyser, Antwerp; Hales, London; 

Hoffmann & Senn, Wien; Kapinos, Berlin; Krobath Wimmer, Vienna; Lombard-Freid, New York; 

loop - raum für aktuelle kunst, Berlin; Meyer Riegger, Karlsruhe; Andrew Mummery, London; 

Michel Rein, Tours; Nils Staerk, Copenhagen; Nils Staerk, Copenhagen; Stalke, Copenhagen;

The Box, Turin; Zé dos Bois, Lisbon 


Spencer Brownstone, New York; chicago project room, Chicago; De Praktijk, Amsterdam; Flach, 

Stockholm; Glassbox, Paris; Magnus Karlsson, Stockholm; Modern Art, London; Emmanuel 

Perrotin, Paris; Sabine Schmidt, Köln; Schaper Sundberg, Stockholm; Cokkie Snoei, Rotterdam; 

Sommer, Tel-Aviv; The Modern Institute, Glasgow; Anton Weller, Paris; Enja Wonneberger, Kiel 


China Art Objects, Los Angeles; Foksal Foundation, Warsaw; Annet Gelink, Amsterdam; Leo Koenig, 

New York; Andrew Kreps, New York; Tommy Lund, Copenhagen; mezzanin, Wien; Franco Noero, 

Turin; Side2, Tokyo; Thumm, Berlin; Emily Tsingou, London; Walcheturm, Zurich 


Catherine Bastide, Brussels; BQ, Köln; Casco, Utrecht; Enders, Frankfurt; Goldman Tevis, Los 

Angeles; Karin Guenther, Hamburg; Masataka Hayakawa, Tokyo; Kamm, Berlin; Francesca 

Kaufmann, Milan; Nicolas Krupp, Basel; Romain Larivière, Paris; Stella Lohaus, Antwerp; Low, Los 

Angeles; Laura Pecci, Milan; Hamish McKay, Wellington; Giti Nourbakhsch, Berlin; Nylon, London; 

Pinksummer, Genoa; Raucci/Santamaria, Naples; Sonia Rosso, Pordenone; Ten in One, New York; 

Susanne Vielmetter, Los Angeles; Françoise Vigna, Nice; Vilma Gold, London; VTO, London 


&:gb agency, Paris; asprey jacques, London; Drantmann, Brussels; Frehrking Wiesehöfer, Cologne; 

Doggerfisher, Edinburgh; Edward Mitterrand, Geneva; Jousse Entreprise, Paris; Kodama, Osaka; 

kurimanzutto, Mexico; offspace, Vienna; Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf; Skuc, Ljubljana; Diana Stigter, 

Amsterdam; The approach, London; Zero, Piacenza 


404 Arte Contemporanea, Naples; Alimentation Générale, Luxemburg; ALP/Peter Bergman, 

Stockholm; Ausstellungsraum 25, Zurich; Cohan Leslie and Brown, New York; Ellen de Bruijne, 

Amsterdam; Vera Gliem, Cologne; Michael Hall, Vienna; IBID Project, Vilnius; Johann König, Berlin; 

maccarone, New York; Maisonneuve, Paris; Maze, Turin; moniquemeloche, Chicago; Mobil Home, 

London; SMART, Amsterdam; Team, New York; Unlimited Contemporary Art, Athens; Christina 

Wilson, Copenhagen 


John Connelly, New York; Evergreene, Geneva; Fotogalleriet, Oslo; Galerist, Istanbul; Corentin 

Hamel, Paris; Daniel Hug, Los Angeles; Iris Kadel, Karlsruhe; Judin Belot, Zurich; Tracey Lawrence, 

Vancouver; Kate MacGarry, London; Peres projects, Los Angeles; Raster, Warsaw; T293, Naples; 

Daniel Reich, New York; Upstream, Amsterdam; Jan Winkelmann, Berlin 


Counter, London; João Ferreira, Cape Town; Fonti, Naples; Natalia Goldin, Stockholm; Herald St, 

London; Hotel, London; kunstbuero, Vienna; Michael Lett, Auckland; Mogadishni, Kopenhagen; 

Reena Spaulings, New York; Tal Esther, Tel Aviv; The Breeder, Athens; Jan Wentrup, Berlin; 

Jocelyn Wolff, Paris; Hiromi Yoshii, Tokyo 


Isabella Bortolozzi, Berlin; Broadway 1602, New York; Cortex Athletico, Bordeaux; Cosmic, Paris; 

dépendance, Brussels; Zach Feuer (LFL), New York; Foxy Production, New York; Freymond-Guth & 

Co./Les Complices, Zurich; Groeflin Maag, Basel; Anna Helwing, Los Angeles; Hollybush Gardens, 

London; Juliette Jongma, Amsterdam; Kirkhoff, Copenhagen; Linn Lühn, Cologne; Monitor, Rome; 

mother’s tankstation, Dublin; NoguerasBlanchard, Barcelona; Sorcha Dallas, Glasgow; Sutton 

Lane, London; Taxter & Spengemann, New York; Van Horn, Düsseldorf; Jonathan Viner/Fortescue 

Avenue, London; Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou; Martin van Zomeren/ gmvz, Amsterdam


Art Concept, Paris; Laura Bartlett, London; Dicksmith, London; Elastic, Malmö; Andreas Huber, 

Vienna; hunt kastner, Prague; David Kordansky, Los Angeles; Laurin, Zurich; lokal_30, Warsaw; 

Magical Artroom, Tokio; Mary Mary, Glasgow; Micky Schubert, Berlin; Myto, Mexico; Neue Alte 

Brücke, Frankfurt; Plan B, Cluj; Schleicher + Lange, Paris; Wallspace, New York; Yamamoto 

Gendai, Tokio; Zinger, Amsterdam 


Ancient & Modern, London; Sandra Bürgel, Berlin; Elizabeth Dee, New York; Klerkx , Milan; 

Layr Wuestenhagen, Vienna; Francesca Minini, Milan; Overduin and Kite, Los Angeles; 

ProjecteSD, Barcelona; Proyectos Monclova, Mexico; Rodeo, Istanbul; schnittraum/lutz becker, 

Cologne; Traschi, Santiago de Chile 


Office Baroque, Antwerp; A Gential Carioca, Rio de Janeiro; Circus, Berlin; Croy Nielsen, Berlin; 

Tanya Leighton, Berlin; Sommer & Kohl, Berlin; Lucile Corty, Paris; Loraini Alimantiri Gazonrouge, 

Athen; Wilfried Lentz, Rotterdam; Tulips & Roses, Vilnius; Lautom, Oslo; Andreiana Mihail, 

Bucharest; BolteLang, Zurich; Kisterem, Budapest; Dispatch, New York; James Fuentes, New York; 

Harris Lieberman, New York 


Elisa Platteau, Brussels; Platform China, Beijing; Carlos Cardenas, Paris; Gaudel de Stampa, Paris; 

Chert, Berlin; Lüttgenmeijer, Berlin; Supportico Lopez, Berlin; Limoncello, London; Fluxia, Milano; 

Labor, Mexico D.F.; Johan Berggren, Malmö; Karma International, Zurich; Altman Siegel, San 

Francisco 


Balice Hertlin, Paris; Marcelle Alix, Paris; Exile, Berlin; Koch Oberhuber Wolff, Berlin; Rob Tufnell, 

London; Hopkinson Cundy, Auckland; Stereo, Poznan; RaebervonStenglin, Zurich; Laurel Gitlen, 

New York; Renwick Gallery, New York. 


2P Contemporary, Hongkong; Christian Andersen, Copenhagen; Cinzia Friedländer, Berlin; Kendall 

Koppe, Glasgow; Jeanine Hofland, Amsterdam; Gaga, Mexico City; Sabot, Cluj-Napoca; Gregor 

Staiger,Zurich; Maisterravalbuena, Madrid; Simone Subal, New York; Grey Noise, Dubai 


Aoyama/Meguro, Tokyo; Carlos/Ishikawa, London; Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler, Berlin; 

Mor Charpentier, Paris; Non, Istanbul; Silberkuppe, Berlin; VI, VII, Oslo; VidalCuglietta, Brussels 

LISTE 18 - Art Fair Basel 

A project in the Workshop Community Warteck pp 

Preview 

Monday, June 10, 2013, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., by invitation only 

Opening Reception 

Monday, June 10, 2013, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., free admission 

Opening Reception Party 

Monday, June 10, 2013, starting at 10 p.m., with DJ line-up, at Volkshaus, Rebgasse 12-14, free 

admission 

Fair 

Tuesday to Saturday, June 11 - 15, 2013, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

Sunday, June 16, 2013, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

Main Sponsor since 1997 

E. GUTZWILLER & CIE, BANQUIERS, Basel

A Brief History of LISTE - The young art fair in Basel

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